Cleaner for boiler-tubes and the like.



c. w. MATTHEWS. CLEANER FOR BOILER TUBES AND THE LIKL APPLICATION FILED 0m. 30, l 9|7- Patent-ed Noy. 5,1918.

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o lwlwmt er/c r i Be it known that l[, CHARLES Wirman: MATTHEWS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Jireh Cottages, Granville Road, Cowes, in the llsle-of-Wight, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Cleaners for Boiler-Tubes and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cleaners for boiler tubes and the like of the kind in which the tool is of tapered formation and slotted longitudinally to provide resilient limbs or elements which have scraping or cutting edges, the tool being in one piece from the part at which it is connected to a manipulating rod to its outer end and the main object of the said invention is to simplify the device thus reducing its cost of production and increasing its durability.

The objects of my invention are to provide a cleaner which is extremely simple in construction so that it may be very cheaply manufactured and placed on the market at a relatively low cost, and which, though simple in structure, is very strong, etlicient in operation and admirably adapted for use in both straight and radius tubes.

According to the said invention the con1- cal or tapered formation of the cleaner extends to the free ends of the resilient limbs or elements which are there provided with the scraping or cutting edge by recessing the said free ends, the said cutting edge being normally of a diameter equal to that of the interior of the tube to be cleaned.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into eflectthe same will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which 1-- Figure 1 is an elevation showing a tube cleaning device made in accordance with the invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are opposite end views of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 1, and

Figs. 5 and 6 are opposite end views of Fig. 4.

a denotes the body of the tool which is of conical or tapered formation throughout, that is, the tapered shape extends from the shoulder 01 to the cutting edge 6 at the outer extremity of the tool. 0 is a screw-threaded s ecification. of tetters lratent.

ctnannn roianortnnrmens an-n THE LIKE.

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Application filed October 30, 1317. fSerial-1\To. 199,323.

or solid manipulating rod to be attached thereto and locked against the shoulder cl when the device is in use. The member a is slotted or divided longitudinally for the greater part of its length from the cutting edge so as to afford a number of slightly resilient parts or elements 6, and the cutting edge 6 is obtained by simply forming a cavity 7 at the forward end of the said member.

The cutting edge Z) is normally of a diameter equal to that of the interior of the tube to be cleaned. In the example shown only two resilient elements are provided but the number thereof may be increased according to the size of the scraper by providing more than one slot in accordance with requirements. The device is preferably made of tempered cast steel and may be of any appropriate dimensions according to the tubes with which it is to be used. When the device is employed for instance in connection with curved water tubes, the length of the device will be regulated in accordance with the radius of curvature of the said tubes. The cutting edge of the tool which may be specially tempered can be readily resharpened when required by means of an emery wheel or the like. The device can be readily withdrawn from the tubes and by reason of the resiliency of the elements 0 the cutting edge is maintained in close contact with the inner walls of the tubes should there be any inequality or the like while the dislodged deposit can readily pass downward through the slots or divisions between the said resilient elements of the device when the latter is being employed in an upward direction in cleaning the tubes; moreover the conical formation of the tool affords clearance when it is being passed through radius tubes.

llt will be noted from the aforegoing description of my improved cleaner that the same is very simple in construction and yet is sufficiently strong to withstand the strain to which it is subjected when in use. It will be seen that each of the resilient limbs c has a cross-sectional shape which is in the form of a sector of a circle. In the drawings, the limbs are semi-circular in cross-section, but in case there are more than one diametrical slot, then the sectors are less than a half cir cle. The limbs, being of substantial cross sectional area, are capable of withstanding any usual strain to which they are subjected.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letsingle solid conical member slotted diamet- 10 ters Patent of the United States is rically from its front and free end to near its 1. A cleaner for boiler tubes comprising a rear end to form resilient members, said slot single solid conical'member slotted diamethaving its opposed walls parallel With one 5 rically from its front and free end to near its another, and the front ends of said members rear end to form resilient members, said slot having recesses to provide cutting edges at 15 having its opposed walls parallel with one the forward ends of said members. another. i

2. A cleaner for boiler tubes comprising a CHARLES WILLIAM MATTHEWS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenta,

' Washington, D. 0. 

